The technical details proclaimed in capital letters on the box mark a sharp difference between these New Balance dating back to the mid Eighties and whatever sneakers of our days. A quarter century ago competition among brands in the sector would only hinge on technological innovation. A real golden age, that will hardly get back again.

What’s the point of being nostalgic? Well, look at that: nostalgia is simply inevitable when you handle such a pair of shoes. What we miss (in todays’ running models) is that 100 percent Vibram sole, those silhouettes perfectly tapering, that incredible overall constructive quality: what shoes are still capable of being used (and even run on) thirty years after their production?